Islam Times reports from Press TV: “Hamas still believes that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians. Hamas will not recognize Israel,” Hamad said.

He was making a reference to the April 27 agreement between the two Palestinian main factions, Hamas and Fatah, in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to set up a transitional unity government and hold elections.

These are some good developments, Hamad said, but it does not mean that Hamas should give up its principles.

The senior Hamas official pointed to the “new strategy” that it has adopted since 2000, which encompasses “coalition with the Palestinian factions, reform of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), participation in the elections, and [integration of Hamas into] the Palestinian authority.”

“We will also try to be more engaged to the international community, Arabic countries and different organizations outside of Palestine,” he further added.